Leaf spring car truck



Oct. 26, 1937. J. A. SHAFER 2,097,033

LEAF SPRING CAR 'rnuck Original Filed Jan. 16, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 6Z0 Za/ Z 5a 36 5d,

Uct26,1937. J. A. $HAF.ER 2,097,0253v LEAF SPRING CAR TRUCK OriginalFiled Jan. 16, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Elwvwtoz:

Oct. 26, 1937.

J. A. SHAFER LEAF SPRING GAB TEL 10K Original Filed Jan. 16, 1932 4Sheets-Sheet :s

Oct. 26, 1937. J, A; A ER 2,097,0s3

LEAF SPRING CAR- TRUCK v Original Filed Jan. 16, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4ATTORNEY- Patented Oct. 26, 1937 LEAF SPRING can 'raUcx James A. Shafer,East Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to National Malleable, & Steel Castings00., V Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 16,1932, Serial No. 581,030

' Renewed March 19, 1937 4 Claims. -(cl. 1o5-197) This invention relatesto car trucks, and more particularly to an improved construction inwhich provision is made for leaf springs between the bolster and theside frame members. One

object of the invention resides in a construction of this characterwhich is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which isreadilyassembled and disassembled. Another object is to provide 'animproved truck embodying both leaf springs and coil springs. Stillanother object is the provision of means for tying together the sideframe members by means of the bolster and springs in such manner thatthe necessity of a spring plank is eliminated. A. further object is todevise means for draining off water from such a construction. Otherobjects are to insure against dislodging of the springs and to provideagainst damage to the construction by reason of over solid blows. Theseand other objects and advantages of the invention will be betterapparent in connection with the following detailed description of apreferred embodiment, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,wherein: t f

Fig. 1 is a. side elevation partly in section of a portion of one sideof a car truck embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portion of a car truck embodying amodified form of my invention.

' Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line H of Fig. 3 looking inthe'direction of the arrows.

In the drawings there is shown a side-frame member A comprisinggenerally an upper portion thatthey are free to move slightpredetermined distances, their movement in fore and aft direc- 60 tionbeing limited by solid stops 6 formed on the frame member A,whilemovement in the other direction is checked by curved portions Idwhich join the side walls 2a and 2b and the floor 2c. The portion 2 isdivided by inwardly projecting 65 flanges I which extend into the spacebetween the walls 2a and 2b, and ,Ioln shelf 4, as best shown in Fig. 4.

Each of the pedestals. 5 supports leafsprings "which are preferably ofthe elliptic type comprising upper and lower springs to and 8b, withwedges or shims! between their respective ends, each springv including asuitable number of leaves and extending transversely of the side frame.For receiving thesesprings the lower frame por- 1 tion 2 has windowopenings 2e through which 10 the ends of the springs extendtransversely, while the center portions of the springs lie in the areabetween the planes of side walls 2a and 2b. For positioning each spring81) on the corresponding pedestal, the spring is provided adjacent itsmid- 15 portion with a. spring engaging member or band IIlb which has adownwardly projecting boss IIb formed thereon for seating, preferablysnugly, in corresponding central opening I 2b in the pedestal. The otherspring to has a corresponding 20 member Illa with upstanding boss IIa,preferably directly above the boss I Ib.

It will be understood that in assembling this part of the constructionit is merely necessary first to place the pedestals 5 on-the floor lc,by 25 passing them through the openings 2c, The springs may then beinserted one at a time, the lower spring being located on the pedestaland the wedges between the spring ends being inserted. The upper springwill then rest against 30 the side walls at the top of openings 2e.

In the construction described it is desirable to make provision fordrainage of water from the side frames and for this purpose there areprovided generally horizontal passages in in the 35 base of the pedestaland openings I3 inthe floor of the frames, the passages communicatingwith v these openings in any suitable manner.

The bolster B is preferably supported directly onthe springs to tie theside frames together and thus eliminate the necessity for spring plank.To accomplish this, the bolster has downwardly projecting lugs I4 formedat its .ends, there preferably being two spaced lu'gs at either end ofthe bolster for support by the respective I springs. These lugs areprovided with central openings I! which are somewhat larger than bossesIIa, which they are adapted to surround.

The bottoms of these hollow .lugs are adapted to seat directly on theflat upper surfacesof memvided between-the lugs and the walls of theopenings. For convenience in casting the bolside walls of openings l6,while excessive displacement of the springs is prevented by abutment ofboss II a against the inner walls of the hollow stud l4. Angling actionof the bolster is limited by reason of the fact that there are two studsat either end, each of which is confined as to horizontal movement bythe walls of the opening through which it extends. Provision. is madefor taking care of over solid blows by abutment of the bottom of the:bolster against shelf 4. Onthe other hand, such blows may be taken byabutment between members Illa and lllb, or by both these features actingsimultaneously, according to the arrangement of the parts.

The opening 3 is made large enough to permit the end of the bolsterincluding stud l4 to enter it, .to provide for assembly of the parts bysimply jacking up the bolster while the side frame is passedover the endthereof. The bolster is then lowered so that it rests on the springs,the weight thereon depressing them to a position such asthat shown. Theopenings 3, studs l4 and other cooperating parts arepreferably soproportioned that even in the most expanded position of the springsthere is no danger of the bolster abutting against the frame at the topof the'openings.

The construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is substantially the same asthat shown in Figs. 1 and 2 save that provision has been made for coilsprings to furnish additional spring capacity, where .desired. It willbe understood that the construction which will now be described is suchthat the coil springs, spring plates and bolts may be simply omitted,when leaf springs alone are sufficient, without the need for any changein the bolster, side frame or leaf spring features. At the same time,the combination of leaf and coil springs has been found to beparticularly effective. Referring especially to Fig. 4, the bolster B isshown as formed at the center portion of either end with springreceiving pockets Y20 and 2| of any convenient shape, but preferablycircular. Springs 22, 23 are shown as consisting of inner and outercoils arranged between the bolster B and shelf 4 for supporting the oneon the other, and may bear on the shelf through spring retaining plates24, having projections 24a which extend into the lower portions of saidsprings for centering the same. The upper ends of the springs may beardirectly against the bolster B, which latter may be provided with springcentering lugs 25 extending downwardly into the springs. These lugs 25and the projections 24a may have openings for receiving pins or bolts 26for retaining the springs, spring plates and bolster in assembledrelation when the side frame is removed. 1

It will thus be appreciated that the same bolster and side frames may beemployed with or without the coil springs. Moreover, the constructionincluding the coil springs maybe assembled and disassembled in simplefashion, in the same manner indicated in the description in connectionwith Figs. 1 and 2.

Among the advantages of the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is thedampening effect which leaf springs have upon the oscillations of coilsprings. That is to say, under certain speed and track conditions theoscillations of coil springs have a tendency to increase harmonically,with highly undesirable results, whereas these oscillations are dampedby the leaf springs.

If desired, the coil springs may be shorter than standard or placedunder initial compression by employing relatively short bolts 26 orother convenient means, so that light loads are supported on the leafsprings alone and heavy loads on both leaf and coil springs, the latterbecoming operative after the leaf springs have been compressed apredetermined amount. Under these conditions should the bolster recoilbeyond the point where the coil springs are active, the recoil forceswill be correspondingly diminished, and the coil springs themselves willbreak up any tendency toward regular period of vibration of the coilsprings on the next descent of the bolster.

It will be understood that in the constructions described, the bolsternot only supports the car frame on the springs but also ties togetherthe side frame members of the truck, thus reducing the number ofessential parts, while at the same time permitting the employment ofleaf springs, as is highly desirable on account of their superior ridingqualities. Moreover, these advantages are incorporated in structurewhich is simple to assemble and which is exceptionally sturdy.

The terms and expressions which I.have employed are used as terms ofdescription and not of limitation, and I haveno intention of excludingany equivalents of the features shown or described, or portions of them,but recognize that various modifications are possible within the scopeof ,the invention.

Features shown or described but not claimed herein are claimed in mycopending application Serial No. 459,480, filed June 6, 1930, which hasmatured into U. S. Patent No. 1,973,664, granted Sept. 11, 1934, and inmy copending application Serial No. 600,398, filed March 22, 1932, towhich reference is hereby made.

I claim:

1. In a car truck, in combination, a bolster, a side frame having awindow opening for receiving an end of the bolsterand a shelf below saidwindow, a box-shaped portion formed on the side frame below the shelf, apair of transversely extending leaf springs, the side walls of saidbox-shaped portion having openings through which the ends of said.springs extend, a pair of projections on said end of the bolsterextending through openings in said shelf, said projections havingrecesses in the under sides thereof, and a boss carried by each of saidsprings and extending upwardly into the recess in a corresponding one ofsaid lugs for limiting movement of said spring with respectto thebolster.

2. In a car truck, in combination, a bolster, a side frame having awindow opening for receiving an end of the bolster and a shelf belowsaid window, a box-shaped portion formed on the side frame below theshelf, a pair of transversely extending leaf springs, the side walls ofsaid box-shaped portion having openings through which the ends of saidsprings extend, a pair of pedestal members movably mounted on the floorof said box-shaped portion, stop means limiting movement of saidmembers, each of said members having a recess-therein and an enlargedopening therebeneath, horizontal passages in each of said memberscommunicating with the enlarged opening therein, openings in the floorof said box-shaped portion communicating with said enlarged andhorizontal openings, a projection carried by each of saidsprings andextending into the recess in the corresponding pedestal member, andinterengaging means between said springs and said bolster.

3. In a car truck, in combination, a. bolster, a side frame having awindow opening for receiving an end of the bolster and a shelf belowsaid box-shaped portion having openings through which the ends of saidsprings extend, apair of projections on said end of the bolsterextending through openings in said shelf, said projections engaging saidsprings, each of said springs having members engaging the leaves thereofadja- I cent their mid portions for abutment under oversolid blows.

4. In a car truck, in combination, a bolster,

ceiving an end of the bolster and a shelf below said window, abox-shaped portion formed on the side frame below the shelf, a pair oftransversely extending leaf springs, the side walls of said box-shapedportion having openings through which the ends of said springs extend, apair of pedestal members movably mounted on the floor of said box-shapedportion, stop means limiting movement of said members, each of saidmembers having a recess therein and an enlarged openingtherebeneath,horizontal passages in each of said members communicating with theenlarged opening therein, openings in the floor of said box-shapedportion communicating with said enlarged and horizontal openings, aprojection carried by each of said springs and extending into the recessin the corresponding pedestal member, and interengaging means betweensaid springs and said bolster, said interengaging means comprisingprojections on said bolster passing through openings in said shelf andhaving recesses receiving bosses on said springs.

. JAMES A. SHAFER.

